There’s no doubting that director Michel Gondry is a technical wizard who imbues everything from music videos (notably the White Stripes’ “Fell in Love with a Girl”) to feature films (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) with the fantastic. But can he make magic in front of the camera as well? That’s what a video posted on YouTube several days ago suggested. Appearing to solve a Rubik’s Cube using his bare toes, people fawned over his fancy footwork.
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https://www.youtube.com/embed/WiQXgmVVGNA
Now, just days later, Beyond Belief Media has posted a YouTube clip that sets out to expose the camera trickery allegedly employed by Gondry to pull the hoax. The blue arrow-happy clip isolates strange movement, particular cuts, and draws attention to the gait of the mystery man in the background.
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https://www.youtube.com/embed/TaVsaWjzsds
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The general consensus is that the foot-feat is still impressive, whether executed by Gondry himself or his camera. Now we’re just waiting for someone to challenge Will Smith’s Rubik’s-related dexterity in The Pursuit of Happyness trailer.
Here’s what the people are puzzling over:
“Too much time on your hands! Who cares! It’s just a simple video trick, just let people be amazed! No need to explain it in detail!”– retroted, youtube.com
“The magic is gone.” — Fritz Cole, myspace.com
“The kicker is that women don’t care if you can solve a Rubik’s cube.” — badhatharry126, youtube.com “The smug, drawing-the-blinds-back, I’m-demystifying-the-world attitude of Beyond Belief Media really irks me. Of course it’s all smoke and mirrors. Anyone familiar with Gondry’s work would suppose as much. Gondry’s genius is in exactly the simplicity of such a feat.” — RSL, defamer.com
“Yes, but can he raise a son while living on the street and pursuing his dreams of becoming a stock broker?” twinkle75, youtube.com
Talk: Did the illusion shatter? Or did the method not matter? COMMENT
On the Web:
michelgondry.com
